Island Cottage, Horsey Island

Enlarge

1 of 22

loading photos

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Cottage |3 bedrooms |Sleeps 6

Horsey Island in Frinton on Sea

from £76 / night

£530–£900 / week

3 nights minimum stay

Changeover flexible

5 out of 5

8 reviews | Write a review

Key info  Beach or lakeside relaxation, car advised, private garden, pets welcome

Check availability and book

About the home

Our island location gives you a rare opportunity to experience total peace and tranquility - isolation if you so choose! Horsey Island is set in the beautiful Hamford Water National Nature Reserve, an ideal place for coastal walks, bird watching, seal spotting and fishing. We are a 300 acre working livestock farm, and a designated SSSI site, SPA and an internationally important wetland area for birds (RAMSAR). The natural surroundings and beautiful wildlife make this a wonderfully peaceful retreat. This unique island offers year-round spectacular bird-watching, the winter and spring migrations being particularly special. In winter, you can expect to see some 1500+ brents landing within metres of the house. The drive across the causeway offers the keen photographer ideal opportunities for close-ups of the waders and geese. In the spring, we are very lucky to have huge numbers of avocets, redshanks, oyster catchers and lapwing arriving to claim their nesting sites. Horsey is the perfect place to summer with children offering them total freedom to swim, canoe, bug-hunt, go crabbing or just relax! Arthur Ransome - well known for his “Swallows and Amazons” series of novels, set one of the books from this series - “Secret Water” - here on this island. The beautiful shingle beach is located to the north of the island, offering stunning views out across the Walton Backwaters. The 19th century newly refurbished cottage is welcoming, light and airy. It has 2 spacious double bedrooms, and one twin bedroom upstairs. The bathroom with separate bath and shower is also located upstairs. Downstairs there is a lovely well-equipped kitchen and spacious dining room, a cosy sitting room with a wood-burning stove, and a very useful boot room. Access to the island is by a tidal causeway which is suitable for all but the smallest of cars, due to good ground clearance being necessary. The crossing is a very bumpy two-thirds of a mile on what is essentially a track, but very much worth the journey once you arrive.The tide allows you 4 hours of low water crossings, tide timetables will be provided. If you rather not bring your own car across, transport can be arranged. Alternatively, why not moor up your boat and reach us that way?

Facilities

Further details indoors:
Electricity is provided by a wind turbine on Horsey Island so electricity is at a premium!

There is a good selection of board games and jigsaw puzzles, a few toys for little ones, and also a small library of family friendly dvds and books.
Linen and towels supplied
Store cupboard essentials
Wood for stove
Outdoor furniture
Travel cot and highchair available on request
Beach towels not provided

Further details outdoors:
The lovely pond at the front of the cottage offers great views of various waterfowl, and is a lovely place to sit and enjoy the evening. There is a large grassy area surrounding the cottage for the children to run off steam in. Looking out from the house you have a beautiful uninterrupted view of the front fields, with sheep and Arabian horses meandering past. Behind the house is the farm yard which is strictly off limits, due to Horsey being a working farm. You can, however, enjoy the other 300 acres of the island at your leisure. Take a walk to the beautiful beach with views across to Oakley and Harwich, and on a clear day as far as Felixstowe. Stroll along to the lake for a picnic, or head to Barge Creek for a swim. Horsey Island with all its natural beauty is a wonderful spot to relax and soak up the peace and quiet that a private island can offer.

Further details

The cottage letting week begins on a Saturday and ends on a Friday due to the tides being rather dictatorial! This allows you plenty of time to arrive/leave without the added worry of a strict time for crossing the causeway. Therefore if you have travelled by car, you have 4 hours to play with. If you have arrived by boat then high tide is the crossing time for you. No smoking inside the cottage please. Plenty of outdoors on doorstep!! Dogs must be under control at all times whilst on the Island, so as not to disturb the stock or wildlife. Please accept that Horsey is a tidal island, and therefore governed by the tide. Please be on time for crossings, as time and tide wait for no man! Deposit of £100.00 required to secure the booking. Balance to be paid six weeks before arrival. Security deposit of £100.00 required, to be paid with the balance. This will be refunded within seven days of departure provided the house has been left in good order throughout.

Conditions

Arrival times must be confirmed by telephone, due to the nature of the tides. Please inform us as to car type before you travel so we can confirm suitability for causeway. We can, of course, collect you from the mainland by prior arrangement. We recommend you pressure-wash your car at the end of your stay. Weeley Garage has this facility. Please note we will not be held responsible for any damage to vehicles.

Photos

 

Enlarge

Island cottage

 

Enlarge

Causeway and jetty at low tide

 

Enlarge

View of Island cottage

 

Enlarge

Friendly neighbours

The South East England / Essex region

Once you have sussed the tide timetable, there are plenty of sightseeing opportunities nearby for you to visit.
You can choose the quaint seaside town of Walton on the Naze, with its famous tower and Essex Wildlife Trust sites. The 70ft high cliffs rising to the south of the Naze are rich in fossils and unique to the Essex coastline.

Frinton on Sea is a picture perfect seaside town, boasting several restaurants, lovely shops, a large greensward and wonderful beach walks all the way to Clacton on Sea.

An hourly bus service runs from the top of Island Lane taking you wherever you wish to go!
Frinton on Sea train station is also very nearby, and a half hour train ride will bring you to Colchester - Britains oldest recorded town, though there are many lovely villages in between!

Suffolk is an easy day trip from the island and a beautiful county, offering gorgeous countryside, beaches, forests and picturesque towns.
Suffolk is noted for being the home of two of Englands best known artists - Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable. The Stour Valley has been branded "Constable country", and is an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The Frinton on Sea / Horsey Island area

Frinton on Sea is home to the Frinton Summer Theatre Season at the McGrigor Hall every summer. Started in 1937 by the Cambridge Academic T P Hoar for his own amusement whilst he was studying corrosion, it quickly developed a life of its own. Employing many famous actors at the start of their careers - Michael Dennison, Vanessa Redgrave, Jane Asher, David Suchet, Gary Oldman, Owen Teale, Linda Bellingham and Jack Klaff to name but a few. For many years it was run by the British actor Jack Watling with his son Giles and son-in-law Seymour Matthews. His daughters Debbie and Dilys often appeared on stage, as did 'Allo-'Allo star John D Collins. It is now run by the actor Edward Max.

The Frinton Literary Society offer a great program of events throughout the year. Their Literary Festival this year is playing host to many great authors - Dan Cruickshank, Barbara Trapido, Carol Drinkwater - at events such as afternoon teas, evening reading groups and literary lunches in some of the fabulous restaurants and cafes Frinton boasts on Connaught Avenue. All details can be obtained from the wonderful Caxton Books, 37 Connaught Avenue, and just a stones throw from the beach. The bookshop has a wonderful gallery exhibiting local and East Anglian artwork, ceramics and jewellery.

How to get there

Island Cottage, Horsey Island What's nearby: Attractions Restaurants Click map icons for more information

Reset Map

Airport - Stansted
Ferry - Port of Harwich
Train Station - Frinton-on-Sea

Travelling by road - From the M25 take junction 28, then at the roundabout take the 3rd exit merging onto the A12 towards Chelmsford/Harwich. Leave the A12 at junction 29, merging onto the A120 towards Harwich. After 6 miles branch left merging onto the A133 to Clacton. At the roundabout take the 1st exit onto the B1033 towards Frinton on Sea/Walton on the Naze. Take the 2nd exit at the next roundabout towards Walton on the Naze. Once you have driven through the village of Thorpe le Soken, turn left down Sneating Hall Lane, signposted to Walton on the Naze. Carry on through the village of Kirby le Soken, until you reach the 3rd turning on the left after the Ship Inn, which is Island Lane. At the end of the lane go up and over the sea wall and you will see the causeway ahead.
We will have arranged a crossing time with you prior to your arrival date. If there is water on the road please do not attempt to cross.
You can drive onto the island 2 hours either side of low tide.

Activities near Frinton on Sea

Reviews

Review: 1 to 3 of 8

>

18 Nov 2012

“A peaceful, restoring and memorable holiday” We all really needed a restful October half term break and we wanted to find somewhere fairly close to home where we could have complete peace and quiet, read, sleep, walk and cook! The island cottage couldn't have been a more beautiful getaway . We and our kids (13 and 17) loved the cottage which is spacious, comfortable, and had been filled with flowers and candles by Vicky and enjoyed walking around the island and seeing the fantastic bird life. We felt incredibly welcomed by Vicky and her family and it was lovely to have the freedom to roam the island freely. Our old VW estate was perfectly happy crossing the causeway.and we would definitely like to return next summer.

09 May 2012

“A very enjoyable stay in a picturesque spot” The five of us spent an excellent weekend here and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The house is well-equipped, comfortable and set in a splendid location. For a quiet, peaceful and secluded weekend -... more

05 Jan 2012

“Our best Christmas ever!” We were so excited about spending Christmas in the cottage and it exceeded all expectations. Vicky and her family could not have been more welcoming and friendly and we spent 4 wonderful days splashing about in mud (LOTS of mud), canoeing, walking and feeding the various animals that roam around on the island (beautiful horses, pigs, sheep) and of course, getting cosy around the woodburner. The scenery is spectacular (very flat with huge skies) and the birdlife amazing. We would go back just to do some birdwatching with more books! (we are not normally interested in birds so it was a bit wasted on us). All round fantastic. The kids loved it (1 yr, 3, 5 and 13). but with no washing machine we would takes lots more pairs of trousers for them all next time. Highly recommended.

Review: 1 to 3 of 8

>

Review: 4 to 6 of 8

>

<

03 Jan 2012

“A real escape......and a special place” We stayed at the cottage over the New Year weekend with two other couples, my 10 year old and an 18mth old. We wanted a cosy getaway for relaxing, eating and the odd walk.....and we got it! The... more

29 Oct 2011

“Heaven on earth! We all adored our week! Can't wait to go back!” We have come back to Horsey after staying 3 nights in July. Everything was even more beautiful than we remembered. The cottage is very comfortable and has everything you need. The island is stunning, ever changing with the tide and the skies, with wonderful walks amongst the sheep and horses! The wildlife is mesmerising and fantastic to explore even more so from the sea in a canoe watching the adorable and inquisitive seals. The causeway is easy to access at low tide and it gives a sense of magic to be isolated from the mainland. Most importantly, what makes this such a unique and special place, is the warm welcome and generosity from the Backhouse family. They loved to share their world with you and we were so sad to leave. Thank you for everything, we are booking to go back, before anybody else does.

21 Sep 2011

“Tranquil” The causeway was a bit off-putting. Full of holes. But once we were on the island it was wonderful to be cut off from the rest of the world. Walking round the island felt like exploring as a 10 year old - except at 50+ more tiring. Only went off the island for one day and it was probably the least enjoyable day of the week. If you can bring enough food and beer would recommend staying put for the week. (Clacton is certainly NOT worth a visit) The island is so quiet and beautiful. Full of wildlife and birds. Would love to own it myself.

Review: 4 to 6 of 8

>

<

Review: 7 to 8 of 8

<

21 Sep 2011

“The most spectacular scenery coupled with a cosy cottage” I read Swallows and Amazons 'Secret Water' before I went and on arrival was not suprised that it inspired a classic book. Just getting onto the island across the wade is a great adventure - either by foot (bring welly boots), boat or a slow drive in the car. What we loved on the island was the isolation, the scenery, birds, private beach and the fact you could get off and visit the local beaches and traditional sea-side life if you craved more hustle and bustle. Best of both worlds. It is amazing that we got there in two hours from London. Normally we'd have to drive a lot further afield to find such a beautiful setting all to ourselves. The cottage is charming and been done up to a high spec with wooden floors and everything you need for self-catering. It was great to relax there in the evening after some hard walking. We made full use of the canoes on offer and saw seals basking on the mudflats. Vicky and Joseph Backhouse could not have been kinder - even lending us welly boots when we stupidly forgot ours. Vicky showed us where we could collect mussels and oysters and we ate like kings on a couple of nights for free! It is a great place to go if you fancy birdwatching, walking, beautiful scenery and just to get away from it all and feel wonderfully refreshed. There is a working farm, so lots of sheep and horses. Great for the kids to go cold turkey from all their gadgets and get back to nature. Great for us to relax. If I was younger and single I could also imagine it being very romantic!

27 Jul 2011

“Island isolation- perfect for birdwatchers” We stayed for a weekend in February and came back for our main holiday in July as we loved it so much. The island is a peaceful retreat, very isolated, yet it's in Essex! It's a proper... more

Review: 7 to 8 of 8

<

Reviews powered by

Rental prices

Prices for group size 6
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
High Season	29 Jun 12	8 Sep 12	723£ 723	140£ 140	140£ 140	3 Nights
Autumn/Winter	8 Sep 12	14 Dec 12	523£ 523	120£ 120	120£ 120	3 Nights
Christmas/New Year	14 Dec 12	5 Jan 13	723£ 723	140£ 140	140£ 140	3 Nights
Winter/Spring	5 Jan 13	14 Apr 13	523£ 523	120£ 120	120£ 120	3 Nights
Bird nesting	14 Apr 13	29 Jun 13	900£ 900	-	-	1 Week
High season	29 Jun 13	7 Sep 13	730£ 730	140£ 140	140£ 140	3 Nights
Autumn/Winter	7 Sep 13	14 Dec 13	530£ 530	120£ 120	120£ 120	3 Nights
Christmas/New Year	14 Dec 13	4 Jan 14	730£ 730	140£ 140	140£ 140	3 Nights

The property does not have weekend tariffs.

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

Weekly guests to arrive on a Saturday, then depart on a Friday. Time varies according to tide times.

Deposit of £100.00 required to secure the booking.

Balance to be paid 6 weeks before arrival.

Security deposit of £100.00 required, to be paid with the balance. This will be refunded within seven days of departure provided the house has been left in good order throughout..

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here

Availability notes:

From Saturday 13th of April to Friday 28th of June the cottage is unavailable due to the birds nesting season. In July there is restricted access, due to the beach being home to nesting avocet, ringed plover, little tern and oyster catcher to name but a few. The restrictions apply only to the beach, and generally not for the whole of July. For keen bird watchers the winter migration from late September onwards offers large numbers of migratory geese and duck, which is a wonderful sight. The Spring migration is equally impressive from March onwards.

Contact the owner

* Required fields Please check the following errors: First name * Last name * Email *   Did you mean ""? Yes / No Phone number Arrival date Departure date   Ignore calendar - enquire anyway No. of adults No. of children Message * Send me ideas on where to stay

2 years listed You are contacting Victoria Backhouse Landline n/a Mobile 44 07985 710170 Payment accepted PayPal accepted Languages spoken The owner is based in the United Kingdom and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2010. This cottage has received 8 reviews from previous guests.

This advert is created and maintained by the advertiser; we can only publish adverts in good faith as we don't own, manage or inspect any of the properties. We advise you to familiarise yourself with our terms of use and FAQs.